Sealing apparatus



SEALING APPARATUS Filed April 17, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY@l fUNITED STATE conveyor.

/Patented May 18, 1943 :tion of Delawarev 1 Application Apr11` 17..194oserial Nefsaose. Y

'17 claims, (ci.l 22e-'80) invention I relates to apparatus for o thesealing of-closure caps, lids or covers on packing ,vesselsl'such asjars'or cans, and it relates parf ticularly to the type of apparatuswherein the lid or cover is sealed or seateduon the packing vessel vbybeing presseddownwardly 'thereon while the vessel is beingmovedprogressively'. Itis adapted `for use insealing'machines yof thetypesillustrated in the patents to White Nos. 1,920,539and 2,041,891, aswell as in other sorts of machines.

Various types of apparatus have Abeen provided for seating or sealingclosures on vessels by operations of the sort'above mentioned, and as arule they include a conveyor for Amoving/the vessel progressively and. apressure. applyingdevice operating above the conveyor and having acontinuously movable endless -belt traveling abovethe conveyor and atthe samespeed, which belt is adapted to engage the closurewhich is onthe vessel and transmit to it the pressure for moving f it to sealed orseated position.

The extent to whichthe closures must be moved or displaced vertically inorder to move them to sealed or seated position on the vessel variesquite considerably as between different kinds or types -of closures.A Itis customary to employ-some sort of sealing gasket or inlay of plasticmaterial in order to form an hermetic seal between' the closure and thevessel. In instances where such sealing gasket or. inlay is quite thin,`vthe extent. of 'vertical displacement of the closure on 'the vesselmust be limited to only a fraction of the ythickness ofthe sealingmaterial, else the rim of the vessel may be forced f completely throughit and'its purpose -of forming and maintaining aY secure hermetic sealbe defeated. Packing vessels are necessarilysubject to some unevennessin the height of theirmouth l rims or irregularity in the contourthereof, and there may be some unevenness as between the height ofopposite sides fv a vessel due toits resting on a particle of'foreignmatter onthe SuchV factors are likely to cause imperfect` or unreliableseals.

Itis ageneral object of the presentinvention `to provide an improvedsealing mechanism of the type above specified which is particularlyadapted for Operationv on vessels and closures lwherein the sealinggasket or inlay is quite thin,

for example, a sixteenthof an inch or less, and which is speciallyqualified to accommodate un-v evennessfin height as between differentsides of the `Vvessel andeifect adequate and substantially uniformVintrusion of thevessel rim into the seal` ing material while avoidingacomplete penetration of the latter. Y Anotherobject isthe provision ofsuchan apparatuswhich will operate automatically and with certainty andprecisionr to'obtain the above `ers kpass downwardly adjacent the wallof the casing I0', and at their lower ends carry laterally `White CapCompany, Chicago, lll., acorpora- Forthe purpose 'of aiding in anexplanation-ol" the invention, I show in the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this speciilcation,y and f hereinafter describe, a,certain form in which the invention maybe embodied. It is to -beunderstood, however,l that this is presented merelyfor purpose of'illustration and hence is not to lbe construed in any fashion for thepurpose of limiting the appended claimsshortof the true and mostcomprehensive scope of the invention in the art.V l l In' said drawings,v f

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal verticalv sectional view of ,apparatusembodying the inventiony Fig. S2 is' a horizontal sectional view takenon approximately line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

zFig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on approxmatelyline 3 3 ofFig. 2. Referring to the particular mechanism illustrated in thedrawings, let it be understood that machinev of the type illustrated inthe above identified patents, which casing aiIords a tunnel throughwhich runs the upper flight II Yof an endless conveyor belt which ismoved in the direction indicated by the associated arrow. 'I'his belt isadapted to afford a-support fora series of 'packing vessels, one ofwhich is indicated at 'V, and to move same through the tunnel with acontinuous progressive movement. Y

` `A pair of hangers I2 is supported on the casing l-Il by meansof rodsI`4, whlch extend slidably ,through thetop" of the casing `and intospring cages I5 mounted thereon.' The rods Il have screw-threadengagement with nuts |B,Ywhich arejc'arried on the lowerl ends of tubesI1 and pressed downwardly'by coil springs I8. The

nuts I6 may be rotated by means of the tubes i1,

thereby to adjust the rods Il upwardly `or downwardly in the nuts andtubes, thus to vary the lower limit position of the hangers I2,A whichis established by the'e'ngagement of the nuts YIl against the bottoms ofthe spring cages. Each hanger, including itsrod I( and tube I1,ls'individually movable upwardly, however, against the' Y pressure ofits spring I8.

' The vertically extending shanks of the hangprojecting foot portions I2a, as seen in Figs. 2 andv 3, which extend transversely above theconveyor b e'lt. These foot portions are groove'd to`v closures which Iare being moved rapidly and in closey succession.

accommodate the hub portions I9 of shackles, which are rotatably mountedon the hangers by means of pintle bolts 20.v .These shackles havemovement upwardly and downwardly. Thei screws 2| may be rotated by meansof their flatted collars 2Ia to adjust them into'and out of the shacklebosses ISa and thus control the are sloped in anticlinal relationship.As a consequence, the lowest portion of the under surface of each shoeis'spaced some distance from both y its ends.

`that the heads may have a limited oscillatory Y spacing between theshoesand vary their longif tudinal inclination slightly.,j These screwsIand the shackles also act as struts or lradius rods between the hangerfeet I2a and the bracket 2 4 for the purpose of holding the hangers andtheir rods I4 againstrotation andagainstbeing moved by the drag ofthebelt.

On the lower portions of the hanger foot members I2a are formed, orlrigidly affixed, shoe mountings. I2b, which occupy proximately themedian line of the conveyor belt Il, and shoes 25, areV suspendedVOnsald mountin'gs 12b by means of journal pins 25 disposed overthemedian line of the conveyor belt and adapted to permit the shoes tooscillate in the lateral directions. I will refer to the shoe 25 as theentering shoe, as it is theone under which the approaching vessels firstenter, and I will refer to the shoe 25' as the trailing shoe. I willalso use the terms forward and rearward in accordance with vthedirection of the travel of the vessels.

At-its rearward extremity, the entering shoe carries arms 2l, in therear endportions of which is mounted an axlel upon which is journaled alower roller 29. 2B are the lower ,legs 30a of a `rockingyoke 30, whichhas strut arms SIb adapted to be xed to lugs 3| of the shoe at any ofvariouselevations by means of a pin seated in one or another` of theapertures 32. 'I'he yoke 30 carriesan upon which 'is -journaledan upperroller 35. Swinging of the yoke to its various positions of adjustmentmoves the upper roller rearwardly or forwardly relative to the roller'29.'

. In suitable bearings supported on the sidewalls of the housingl isjournaled a shaft 31 which carriesa pulleyl 38, said shaft being drivenin timed relationship with the conveyor belt I2 through the medium ofsuitable driving mechanism $9.

Entrained on ther pulley 38 and the rollers 2l,V

and 3l is the sealing belt Il which is made of strong and ilrmmaterialbut which is flexible. The driving arrangement is suchthat thisbelt is driven in the direction indicated by the associated arrowy atthe same rate of linear speed as is the conveyor belt Il. The lower ightof this sealing belt travels under and rides in contact with the smoothlower surface portions o f the shoes 25 and'25', against which it .isheld by the pressure of the belttightenerrollerV 42, which is hingedat44 on the side wall of the The shoes 25 and 25' thus establish the.position and elevation of the lower flight of Vthesealing belt. For adistance from its rearward end the lower surface of the entering shoe 25slopes downwardly and forwardly from the roller 29, and adjacenttheforward end of the trailingnhoe 25' Vits lower surface` wardly. Also,for a distance adjacent v their proximate ends the lower surfaces of thetwo'shoes Also journaledron the axle slopes upwardly and forplacement orrarefaction of air from the head positions over al1-VKA me' u housing.

the vessel be. effected.

For operation upon containers of a given height, the hangers l2 are setat such a vertical adjustment that when a vessel V with its closure capC is moved below the lowest portion of shoe 25 by the feeding movementof conveyor belt Il and sealing belt l I the closure cap will be presseddownwardly on the vessel for the purpose of effecting the hermetic seal.In preparation for such operation, the vessel V, with its intendedcontents,. is placed upon the conveyor belt Il at a suitable location,and, usually after disspace of the vessel and the cavity of the closurecap, the latter is placed upon the vessel with its sealing gasket Gresting on the mouth rim thereof. Consequently, in order 4to eect thehermetic seal, the downward displacement of the closure capon the vesselneed be only an amount sufllcient to intrude or imbed the mouth rimslightly in the gasket throughout the entire circumference of the mouthrim. However, in order to form an hermetic seal, it is essential that aproper intrusion or contact of the mouth rim upon the gasket entirelyaround the mouth of In certain types of closures it is quite desirablethat the gasket or inlay of sealing material be quitethin, and sinceexcess downward displacement of the closure on the vessel might forcethe mouth rim entirely throughthe gasket, and thus prevent formation ofan hermetic seal, it becomes necessary to linut and control the downwarddisplacement of a thin-gasket closure quite deflnitely, not only toobtain adequate imbedment or contact, but also to avoid excesspenetration in event the rim of the vessel is higher at one side than itis at the other. Such a circumstance might be caused by inaccuracy inthe form of the vessel itself, in which respect certain establishedtolerances are recognized and provided for, or by a lateral slope of oneof the conveyor belt sections, or because of foreign material betweenthe bottom of the vessel and the conveyor belt.

The present mechanism accomplishes `this control through automaticaccommodation of the closure seating mechanism to such an irregularposition of the vessel. By virtue of the rocking orioscillatory supportof the entering shoe 25 on the shoe mounting |2b, its inclination in thelateral directions may be changed automatically, and this willaccomplish a similar change in the lateralinclination of the roller 29.-The forwardly inclined position ofthe lower flight of the belt betweenthe roller 29 and the low point of the entering shoe 25 is helddownwardly slightly away from the overlying sloping surface of the shoe,and this allows the vessel andits closure a smooth, gradual andunobstructed entry under the sealing belt and shoe. Consequently, if thevessel itself is ina laterally tilted position or if its mouth rim ishigher at one side than at the other, .the closure cap will occupy acorrespondingly tilted or canted position, and as the vessel and closuremoye under the entering portion of the sealing belt Il, it and theentering shoe 25 will be given a corresponding tilt before the closurevreaches the low point of the shoe where the sealing pressure is appliedto it, with the result that when the'vessel and closure pass under thelowerrnost portion of the shoe, the sealing pressure will be applieduniformly to the closure cap over the 2,319,1:14 gasket and the mouthrim ofthe vessel, instead f of being concentrated on 'the higher side.'vThis lateral tilting adjustment ofthe shoe' to the cant 'l of the mouth:rimjof the vessel is accomplished before the actual sealing pressure isapplied because of the gradual entry of the sloping closure f cap intocontactwith the belt rearwardly of the low point ofthe shoe.

As a'result of this automatic accommodation'y of thekv mechanism to thevessel, a substantiallyV uniform imbedment orcontact ofthe mouth rim ofthe vessel uponthe gasket is effected, as disf tinguishe'd from anexcessive penetration at Aone side and an inadequate contact at theother. A

The relieving anticline at the forwardvendof the .entering shoe and therearward end of the A trailing shoe is to permit the sealed vessel to'pass under the latter withoutvany resistance' or obstruction from itsrearward end, andalso to permit the entering shoe to accommodate itslateral inclination to the following vessel even before its predecessorhas passed 'entirely from under said. shoei However, in such period oftransition theclosure cap is still held down by the beltllin'thisrelieved zone. Of course, as the sealed vessel passes under thetrailing shoe 25'7, said shoe likewise accommodates itself to thelateralslope of the closure cap, which itis bination, anv endless flexiblebelt` arransed'tov travel around fr horizontal` axes and actuated to .1move its vlower flight inthe same direction and at the saine speed asthecontainers are'moved, a

" plurality of shoes pivotally mounted above the lower flight andyeacharranged to bear upon the upper surface thereof across the greaterportion of its width and disposed one ahead of'another in the directionof movement of the containers, the. mountingof said shoes permittingthem vertical movement independently `of each -other and transverseoscillatory movement independently ofl each other, means fortensioningthe belt to press its lower flight against-the shoes, and yielding meanspressing the shoes downwardly.v Y

3. In a sealing machine wherein the containers 1 to be sealed are movedprogressively by conveyor means, a pressing device under whichfthecontainers are moved and which comprises,.in com-A bination, an endlessflexible belt arranged to travelV around horizontal axes and actuated tomove its lower flight inthe-same direction and at the same speed'as thecontainersare moved,

free todo quite independently of the enteringAk shoe `25, which at .suchtime may have a quite different lateral slope under the infiuence'of afollowing vessel. As the sealed vesselsfleave the forward end of thetrailing shoeV ',-they are carried on by the conveyor I I to thelocation where they are removed from it.

If, for any reason, avessel is presented withV the hangers I2,- is veryslighty and scarcely'perceptible to the eye.

However, it is by virtue of its provisions for a ready accommodation tothese slight automatic adjustments that the apparatus is particularlyqualied for its purpose.

I claim: Y Y

1. In a sealing machine wherein the containers Y to be sealed are movedprogressively by conveyor means. a pressing device under `which thecontainers are moved and which comprises, in com# bination,1 an endless.flexible belt arranged to travel around horizontal axes and'actuatedtomove its lower. flight in the same direction and at the same speed asthe containers are moved, shoe supporting means, and a plurality ofshoes each Itvwill be appreciated also extending'across the belt andarranged to bear4 upon the 'upper surface of said lower flight, saidYshoes being disposed one ahead of another in the direction of movementof the containers and'each being pivotally mounted on the shoesupporting means over the longitudinal median line of the lower flightso as to have transverse loscillatory movement on its supporting meansindependently of the others.

2. In a sealing machine wherein the containers to be sealed are movedprogressively by conveyor.

means, a pressing device under which-the containers are moved and whichcomprises, in comand a plurality of shoes arrangedfor engagement withVthe upper-surface of said lower 'flight and disposedone ahead ofanother in the direction of` movement of the containers, the mounting ofsaid shoes "permitting them vertical movement inde-` pendentlyoi' oneanother'and transverse oscilla- Y torymovementindependently of oneanother, and including also a. roller mounted onjone of the.. shoes atthe location 'where .the containers enter belowthe'belt, said rolleraffording the belt at said location.

4. In a sealing machine wherein the'containers to b e sealed are movedprogressively by conveyor means, a pressing device under which the con aguide for tainers are moved and which comprises, in comv binaticn, anjendless flexible belt arranged to travel around horizontal axes andactuated. to move' its lower flight in the same direction and at thesame' speed as the containers are moved,`

anda plurality of shoes arranged for engagement with the upper surfaceof said lower flight and dis-v posed one ahead of another in thedirection of movement of the containers, the mounting of said shoespermitting themvertical movement in' dependently of one anotherand'transverse oscil- 4 latory movement independently of one another andthe lowerv surfaces of the'respective shoes which cooperate with thebelt being shapedso that they slope first downwardlyA and then .upwardlyin the direction of travel of the containers.

5. In a Vsealing machine whereinthe containers to be sealed are'movedprogressively by conveyor means, a pressing` device under which the conVtainers are moved and which comprises, inA combination, an' endlessflexible -belt arranged to travel around horizontal yaxes and actuated4to move its lower flight' in the same direction and at the same'speed asthe vcontainers-are moved, and aplurality of shoes arrangedforengagement with the upper surface of said lower flight and disposed oneahead of another in the direction of move- Yment of the containers. themounting of said shoes permitting them vertical movement inde# pendentlyof each other, and a pair'of rollers arranged one abovethe otherA andsupporting and guiding the belt adjacent thellocation wherek the ncontainers iir'stenter under it, said rollers being mounted for verticalmovement with the adjacent shoe and the upper, one of said rollers beingad'- justable about the axis of the other.

6. In a sealing machine wherein the containers to be sealed are movedprogressively by conveyor tainers'aremoved and which comprises, incombination, an endless Vflexible belt arranged to travel Varoundhorizontal axes and actuated .to

move its Vlower flight in the same direction and* Y at the same speed asthe containers, are moved, and a plurality of shoes arranged for'engagement with the upper surface of said lower night and disposed oneahead of another int movement of the containers, the m ting of saidshoes permitting them vertical'm vement independently of each other andtransverseoscillatory movementindependently of each other, and a pair ofrollers arranged for supporting and guiding the belt adjacent thelocation where'the containers first enter under it, said rollers beingmounted for vertical movement with the adja- .cent shoe and one of' saidrollers being lmounted above` the other and being adjustable about the,

axis of the latter.

7. In a sealing machine wherein the containers to be sealed are movedprogressively by conveyor. means, .a pressing device under which thecontainers are moved and which comprises, in combimation, anV endlessiiexible belt arranged to travel around horizontal axes and actuatedto,f

move its lower flight in the same direction and at the same speed as thecontainers are moved,.a

the upper surface of said lower flight and disposed one ahead of anotherin the directionof movement of the containers, the mounting of saidshoes permitting themvertical movement independently of each other andtransverse oscillatory movement independently of each other, .and

means for adjusting at least one of said shoes to? ward and from anotherinthe horizontal direction.l

8. In a sealing machine wherein the containers to be sealed are movedprogressively by conveyor means, a pressing device under which thecontainers are moved and which comprises, in com-4 bination, an endlessflexible belt arranged to travel around horizontal axes and actuated tomove its lower flight in the same direction and -at Y the same .speed asthecontainers are moved, a shoe arranged for engagement with the uppersurface of said lower flight adjacent the location where the containersenter under the belt and mounted for vertical movement against spring fpressure and the beltguidin'g member is mounted for vertical movementwithV the shoe.

l0. In a sealing machine wherein the containers to be sealed are movedprogressively by.

conveyor means, a pressing device under which the containers are movedand which comprises,

in combination, an endless ilexible belt arranged,

to travel around horizontal axes and actuated t move its lower flight inthe same direction and at the same speed as the containers are moved,and a plurality of shoes arranged for engagement with the upper surfaceoi' said lower flight and disposed one ahead of another Vin thedirection of movement of the containers, the mounting of said directionof Y 2,319,214 means, a pressing `device under which the con--l shoespermitting them )oscillatory movement transversely of the beltindependently o! 'one another, shoes which are adjacent each otherhaving the lower surfaces ofV their juxtaposed portions sloping inanticlinalrelationship longitudinally of the belt. l Y

11. Ina sealing machine'wherein the containers to be sealed are movedprogressively byv conveyor means, a pressing device under which thecontainers lare moved,and which comprises, combination, an endlessflexible belt arranged to travel around horizontal axes with its lowerflight traveling above the pathy ofthe containers and in the directionof their movement, a belt guiding l plurality of shoes arranged forengagement withA member about which the belt is entrained at thelocation where the containers enter under it, said belt guiding memberbeing mounted for vertical movement under spring pressure, aforward-belt guiding member on which the belt is entrained over the/locationwhere the containers pass from under it, and a plurality of shoesarranged to bear upon the upper surface of the lower flight of the beltone ahead of another in the direction of its travel between said beltguiding members, the mounting of said shoes permitting'them to haveoscillatory movement transversely of thebeltlindependently of oneanother. 1-2. A pressing device for sealing machines as specified inclaim 11 and wherein thelowermost portions of the belt-engaging undersurfaces of the respective shoes are remote from the ends of theshoesand normally restrain the belt out of engagement with portions of theshoes which are intermediate said lowermost surface portions.

13. In a. pressing device for sealing machines as specied in claim 11and wherein the lowermost belt-engaging. portion of the shoe adjacentsaid belt guiding member is remote from said member and cooperatestherewith to restrain the intervening portion of the belt Vnormally outof contact With the shoe.

14. A pressing device for sealing machines as specified in claim l1 andwherein the respective shoes are mounted on different hangers and the'hangers are individually movable vertically under spring pressure.A

'15. A pressingdevice for sealing machines as specied in claim 11 andwherein the respective shoesare mounted on dinerent hangers and thehangers are individually movable vertically under spring pressure, andincluding also means for adjusting individual hangers longitudinally ofthe belt.

16. In a sealing machine wherein the containers to be sealed are movedprogressively by conveyor means, a pressing device Vunder which thecontainers are moved and which comprises, in combination, an endlessflexible belt arranged to travel around horizontal axes with its lowerflight traveling above the path of the containers and rin direction oftheir movement, ahanger, a shoeA mounted on said hangerV and susceptibleof oscillatory movement thereon transversely of the belt and having alower surface portion arranged for bearing engagement upon the uppervsurface of the lower night, and means for 'adjusting the lower portion0f the hanger longitudinally ofthe belt to vary the longitudinalinclination of the shoe.

1'?. A pressing device for a sealing machine as specified in claim '16and whereinth'e hanger is g,

movable verticallyundersprlng pressure.

-v E. naviga;

patentA No. 2,519,211

nay 18, 19M. IYNN E. DAVIES.

It 1s hereby certified thet error appears in th? printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correctionas follows: Page 2,first column, line 8, after "bracket" for the reference numeral "25"read -2l'4.-; same line, after I'bollz" for *25" read 25; and that thesaid Letters Patent shouldberead with.this correction hereinthatthe samemay confenn to the record or the case in the Patent Office.

sigma and sealed this 29th day or June, A. D. 191g.

l Henry Van rsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.`

CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION. 5

